ORONO – The University of Maine will officially retire the Shawn Walsh shamrock on Oct. 9 when the Black Bears men’s hockey team hosts North Dakota. The shamrock will be included on a banner of all retired hockey numbers that will be hung from the rafters inside Alfond Arena.

Walsh was head coach of the Black Bears for 17 seasons and guided the team to 11 trips to the NCAA Tournament. His squads won national championships in 1993 and 1999, and played in seven Frozen Fours.

Walsh earned his 20th career NCAA Tournament victory on March 23, 2001 when Maine defeated Minnesota 5-4 in overtime. His overall record was 399-215-44 and he posted 10 20-win seasons. Walsh died Sept. 24, 2001 due to complications from his fight against renal cell carcinoma.

“We feel it is very important to honor Shawn and his legacy by adding him to our retired numbers banner,” said Maine athletic director Patrick Nero. “He obviously had an incredible impact not only on our men’s hockey program but our entire university and community. It is important that he have a permanent place in the Alfond.”

Walsh, a native of White Plains, N.Y., graduated from Bowling Green, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. He was an assistant coach at Bowling Green before working as an assistant coach for five seasons at Michigan State.

Walsh was named head coach at Maine in 1984 and in his third season guided the Black Bears to the NCAA Tournament. He was a four-time Hockey East Coach of the Year and New England Coach of the Year, and was the Spencer Penrose Trophy recipient in 1995 as National Coach of the Year. His team’s won four Hockey East regular season titles and three Hockey East Tournament titles.

“It is very gratifying for all of Shawn’s family and myself to know that Shawn’s name will be added to the retired numbers banner in the Alfond Arena,” said Lynne Walsh.

“By including his name among some of Maine’s most honored and elite players, Shawn will be remembered as not only a great leader and coach, but also as the team player that he was in helping to bring Maine to national prominence in college hockey,” she added. “As Shawn’s name, and eventually other names are added to the banner, it further symbolizes the natural transition in leadership, changes which should only strengthen the tradition of excellence he set out to achieve for Maine Hockey.”

The University of Maine currently has retired three men’s ice hockey numbers: Scott Pellerin (8), Jim Montgomery (19) and Paul Kariya (9).